Hertha Heuer was born on 30 June 1909 in Lüneburg. After finishing school, she trained as a nurse. In 1937, she began working at the Lüneburg institution and nursing home. There she met her husband, Otto Heuer, who later became the nursing service manager. The couple married on 25 July 1947 in Reppenstedt. Only then did she leave her job.
During her time at the Lüneburg institution and nursing home, she worked in various facilities. From October 1941 to 1947, she worked in the »Children’s ward« in Lüneburg. As she received »special allowances« in accordance with Max Bräuner’s proposal, it is certain that she was particularly involved in the murder of children.
Even after leaving her post, Herta Heuer remained closely connected to the institution. From 1947 to 1950, she and her husband lived in an apartment in the »Wärtersiedlung« (warden’s housing estate). After Otto Heuer took over as head of nursing at the state hospital, they moved into official accommodation on the institution’s grounds. Herta was still living there in 1962 when she was questioned about the murders as part of the reopened criminal investigation. Although Max Bräuner had confessed, she did not remember any particular infant mortality. She also claimed not to have noticed the murders.
After her husband retired, they left the institution grounds.
Hertha Heuer died on 5 December 2004. She lived to see the opening of the memorial commemorating the murdered children.
